Easy soup for Marty's pre soccer game meal

Homemade soup for Marty. (please click here to go to my video of this recipe)
My friend Marty is coming for dinner and her favourite pre-game meal is homemade soup.  She has a soccer game later tonite so a big meal wouldn't be a good idea... soup is a perfect option.
Here is another tasty and quick recipe that could be a crowd pleaser for you too.  Enjoy!

1/3 cup avocado oil
1/2 large onion (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
6 garlic cloves
1 bell pepper (yellow, red or orange)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery

2 chicken breast - on the bone will work or use boneless skinless if that is available. Cut up chicken into small chunks (the size is up to you)

2 cups tomatoes (optional)

2 cups approx. vegetables of choice - I used leftover vegetables that I had used for a stir fry the night before (please click here to go to the recipe for the best stir fry ever and to see what vegetables I used)
10 cups water or broth  - vegetable or chicken (I often use 'better than boullion' which is a concentrate that is always handy to have on hand in the fridge if you don't have home made broth or store bought).
cilantro - for garnish if available

Prep all vegetables by rinsing well and dicing.  I used my mandoline for the onions, bell pepper, and cabbage.  It makes the prep go so much easier.

Remove the chicken from the bone, save the bones as I toss them into my soup while it is cooking for added flavour. Remove the bones before serving.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥  It is much easier to cut up chicken that is semi thawed. Remove your chicken from the freezer and allow it to thaw enough that you are able to safely remove the meat from the bone. It is not AS slippery when in the thawing stage.

Sauté onions, pepper, garlic and celery. Add diced chicken. Sauté again.
Add tomatoes, leftover vegetables.  Stir again.
Add broth and the chicken bones if desired. Stir
Bring up to the boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Marty thought this soup was delicious and it was so easy to prepare for her. Also, lots of leftovers for tomorrows lunch or kids if they drop by.
I hope you enjoy.

Miriam's Time Saving Tip♥  I make soup sometimes when I have a fridge full of old vegetables that need to be used up and are not fresh enough for a salad or stir fry. Most vegetables can be used in the recipe above and will only enhance the flavour. EXCEPTION: parsnips. Adding parsnips will change the taste completely so use caution when adding it.

Easy Stir Fry thanks to Lorna from Gibsons

Easy Stir Fry (please click here to go to my YouTube channel)
This is an adaptation of Lorna's dinner she served in Gibsons this weekend.  It was so delicious that I had to share it with you.

4 tbsp. avocado oil
1/2  large onion
1 cup each of cauliflower, broccoli and zucchini
1 1/2 cups red cabbage
4 (or more) skinless boneless chicken thighs
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt to taste

Cut up the chicken into thin strips. Add 4 tbsp. soya sauce and 1/4 cup of marinade of choice to a bowl. For this recipe I use a delicious tomato based marinade shown below called 'Aji Medium Hot'. Add cut up chicken a marinade for a minimum of 1/2 hour.

Vegetable Prep

I used my mandolin to thinly slice the onions, cabbage and zucchini. If you do not have a mandolin simply slice up the above vegetables into thin slices. Rinse all vegetables well before you slice.

Rinse cilantro well and slice up into smaller stems.

In a frying pan add the avocado oil to a hot pan.
Add onions to sauté first. Add remaining vegetables and sauté to allow the oil to coat all the vegetables and so the vegetables are partially cooked.
Pour hot vegetables into a bowl.
Add chicken & marinade to the hot frying pan and sauté until cooked.
Add hot vegetables back into the hot pan & add chicken stock as well.
Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Serve hot.

Easy Scones with Double Devon Cream Topping

Yield:16

1 cup butter (1/2 pound)

1/2 cup sugar + 1/4 cup for spinkling on top
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup whipping cream or milk  -  + a 1/8 cup for brushing on the top of the scone before going into the oven
6-8 tbsp. + cold water

Cream butter and sugar until well mixed and the butter has softened. Add eggs one at a time. Beat until light and fluffy.
In another bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix again well .

Add creamed butter/egg mixture to the dry mixture. Add whipping cream and cold water.
Fold wet into dry until the mixture almost comes together. Be careful at this point not to over mix.
If the the mixture is too dry add cold water, 2 tbsp. at a time.

Fold out onto a flat surface and roll out to 1 - 1 1/2 inch thick (this can be done with your hands if you don't have a rolling pin).
Cut into rounds.
Brush the top of each scone with whipping cream and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Split open after baked and cover with Devon Cream and jam.  Yummy!

Gluten-Free & Yummy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup vegetable shortening1 cups peanut butter

1 cups white granulated sugar

1 cups golden yellow sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. Baking powder

1 1/2  tsp. Baking soda

1/2  tsp. Salt

2 1/2  cups robin hood gluten free all purpose flour blend

IQF cookies 

Cream shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and creamy.

Add eggs and beat well until combined.

In a small bowl combine baking powder & soda, flour and salt. Stir well. 

Add dry to egg mixture. Mix all until well combined 

Scoop dough into desired size scoops to bake.

These cookies can also be lined up on trays to freeze. Conserve space by placing the cookies next to each other for freezing (see photo to the right). Once individually quick frozen (IQF) the cookies can be bagged in ziplock freezer bags for easy storage.  Bake as per instructions from frozen.

Yield:  56 cookies scoop with a small scoop

Preheat oven to 375 °. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Fresh Scones for the Royal Wedding

Just in time for Harry & Megans vows we enjoyed these delicious scones.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs

3 cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup raisins (optional)

1/2 cup whipping cream +
2 tbsp. + cold water


Cream butter and sugar until soft and the butter has softened. Add eggs one at a time. Beat until light and fluffy.
In another bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add raisins. Mix again.

Add creamed butter mixture to the dry mixture. Add whipping cream.
Fold wet into dry until the mixture almost comes together. Be careful at this point not to over mix.
If the the mixture is too dry add cold water, 1 tbsp. at a time.

Fold out onto a flat surface and roll out to 1 inch thick (this can be done with your hands).
Cut into rounds.
Brush the top of each scone with whipping cream and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Parsley & Artichoke Hummus...Hummus at it's best!

By: Miriam Borys Busby

Ingredients: 

2 cans (540ml) chick peas (well rinsed under cold water & drained) 

1/4 cup red onion

1 cup artichoke hearts (canned or pickled)

2 garlic cloves

1 cup fresh parsley

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup Olive oil 

2 tbsp. Tahini 

1 juice of a lemon

1 - 1 1/4 cup vegetable stock

Drain chick peas. Rinse under cold water in a wire mesh sieve and drain well. Add to food processor. Add all remaining ingredients to the chick peas.

Process until large pieces are gone. Scrape the sides of the processor bowl down. 

Continue to process until the hummus is at the desired consistency. This stage is up to you and your personal taste. If too thick more broth (vegetable or chicken) can be added a little at a time until the hummus is t the right consistency.

Store in the fridge in a covered container until serving.

Great served with a vegetable tray or with  crackers and cheese.

Best Gingerbread dough ever for cookies or houses.

Recipe Title: The Best Gingerbread Cookies Ever! Perfect for gingerbread men, ladies and houses. 

By: Miriam Borys Busby

yield: approx. 45 small gingerbread cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (soft not melted)
¾ cup white granulated sugar
¾ cup molasses (use baking not blackstrap)

1 egg 
4-5 tbsp. heavy cream

3 1/2 cups flour
2  tbsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. each of ground cloves & allspice
1 ½ tsp. baking soda

Prep: 

In a large bowl sift the dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (hand mixer or stand mixer will make this task easier) add the egg and beat again.

Add molasses to butter mixture.

Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture a little at a time.

Mix in heavy cream starting with 2 tbsp. and adding more cream if the dough is dry and won’t stick together.

Divide dough into 4 portions. Take one portion at a time and with your hands roll into a large ball to bind the dough together. Roll out the dough until  desired thickness or approximately ¼ of an inch. 

Keep your surfaced well-floured to prevent sticking

Try to keep excess flour off the top of the dough so your cookies are a brown ginger color and not white.

Cut out gingerbread people or shapes as desired.

Bake in 350°F for 10 - 14 minutes.

Cool before decorating

Keep dry, do not refrigerate and DO NOT STORE in an air tight container or cookies will go soft

Royal Icing
4 cups sifted icing sugar
3 tbsp. meringue powder  
10 tbsp. water
1 tsp. lemon juice 

More bliss balls...just in time for the Ugly Sweater Party

More bliss balls for the holiday season.  This time made in my new food processor and I substituted almonds for cashews.  Really a great taste! For the original recipe please click here and follow this link.